SRG US/CA Corporate

Data-Driven Workforce Trends for 2026
To provide accurate and timely employment forecasts for business leaders, the Job Insights survey is conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment International, parent company of Specialized Recruiting Group, among hiring decision-makers in the U.S. This biannual survey tracks employment and hiring trends across a wide range of industries. The data and trends collected via the survey are summarized in the Job Insights report.
  • The majority of hiring decision-makers feel positively about their company’s hiring outlook, while 37% feel negatively about theirs
  • Reflecting a significant increase from spring 2025 (58%), 66% report their company plans to increase the number of employees in the first half of the year
  • Hiring plans are met with anticipated hurdles, as 91% expect their company will face hiring challenges over the next year, including implementing/identifying ways to use AI in hiring (46%)
  • 86% of hiring decision-makers feel companies need to focus on formally training employees on how to best use AI in their day-to-day work, rather than expecting them to learn on their own
  • 80% are concerned about the impact of AI on career opportunities in their field/industry for the next generation
  • Hiring decision-makers in white collar work are more likely than those in blue collar work to report concerns that there will be an over-dependence on technology (46% vs. 32%)
  • 90% of hiring decision-makers say using AI will never replace the need for actual employees at their company
  • 92% say their company is dedicated to ensuring there will always be a human-touch element at their company
  • HR (59%), customer service (57%), and ethics and compliance (47%) are among the top functions companies prioritize having a human-touch element
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